JDU's damage control, sacks leader for 'no support to BJP in Manipur' letter

The JD(U) on Wednesday sacked its Manipur unit chief Kshetrimayum Biren Singh for writing a letter saying the party doesn't support the BJP in the state.

In Short

• JD(U) confirms support for BJP in Manipur, dismisses withdrawal claims
• Manipur JD(U) chief sacked for not consulting central leadership
• Party cites indiscipline as reason for removal, reaffirms alliance with BJP

The Janata Dal (United) has clarified that it continues to support the N Biren Singh-led BJP government in Manipur, dismissing claims of withdrawing support as "baseless". The party has also sacked its Manipur unit president, Kshetrimayum Biren Singh, for writing a letter reiterating the alleged withdrawal of support without consulting the central leadership. The JD(U) cited indiscipline as the reason for his removal and reaffirmed its alliance with the BJP at both state and national levels.

JD(U) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad called the letter misleading, asserting that the state unit had not communicated with the central leadership and acted independently.

"The party has taken cognisance of this and the president of Manipur unit of the party has been relieved of his position. We have supported NDA and our support to the NDA government in Manipur will continue even in the future. Manipur unit did not have any communication with the central leadership, they were not taken into confidence. He (Manipur JDU chief) had written the letter on his own," Prasad said.

"Considering this an act of indiscipline, action has been taken against him and relieved of his position...We are with the NDA and the state unit will continue to serve the people of Manipur towards the development of the state," he added.

The controversy arose after Kshetrimayum Biren Singh wrote to Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, claiming the JD(U) was reiterating its withdrawal of support to the BJP government and that the party's lone MLA, Md Abdul Nasir, would sit in the Opposition benches.

The letter referenced the defection of five of JD(U)'s six MLAs to the BJP after the 2022 Manipur Assembly elections and linked the decision to the party's earlier alignment with the INDIA bloc.

While the JD(U)'s stance in Manipur has now been clarified, the letter initially raised eyebrows due to the party's role as a key ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Bihar.

The BJP, however, retains a comfortable majority in the 60-member Manipur Assembly, with 37 legislators and additional support from five Naga People's Front MLAs and three Independents.

This development also follows a similar move last year when the Conrad Sangma-led National People's Party withdrew support from the Manipur government. However, the JD(U)'s central leadership has distanced itself from any such comparison, emphasising that its alliance with the BJP in Manipur, Bihar, and at the Centre remains strong.